Apparatus for blocking and thinning of row crop farm produce



Feb. 16, 1965 H. J. THUROW 3,159,583

APPARATUS FOR BLOCKING AND THINNING 0F ROW CROP FARM PRODUCE Filed DeC.7, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l 10 Fig. 2

INVENTOR. Herbert J. Thurow ATTORNEY H. J. THUROW Feb. 16, 1965APPARATUS FOR BLOCKING AND THINNING OF ROW CRO? FARM PRODUCE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 7, 1962 INVENTOR.

He J. Thurow ATTORNEY vary.

United States Patent 3,16%,583 APPARATUS FQR BLQCKENG AND THINNING OF 1ROW CROPFARM PRODUCE Herbert J. Tillil'OW, R.R., Auit, Colo. Filed Dec.7, 1 962,.Ser. No. 243,120 6 (Ilaims. (Ci. 172-111) This inventionrelates to crop thinning apparatus, and more particularly to apparatusfor the blocking and thinning of row-crop farm produce. The invention isespecially, though not exclusively, adapted for. the thinning 2 j natehand labor operations for the thinning-out operat-ions.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved beetthinner which is a low-cost, economically-maintained, easily-operated,reliable, rugged and durableunit.

With the foregoing and other objects'in view, all of V which more fullyhereinafter appear, my invention consists of certain constructions,combinations and arrangements of parts and elements as will becomeapparent from the following'detailed description, the appended claimsand the preferred embodiment of 'a machine as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in'which:v

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of one arrangement of my improvedbeet thinning apparatus-having two rotatable tine-carrying heads mountedthereon and comregular spacings of one plant approximately every four tosix inches along the row. This thinning orblocking is conventionallydone by hand, for, although that operation is expensive, no effectiveand eificient thinning ma chines have been heretofore developed. wouldappearthat too many variable conditions exist to justify machinethinning operations.

The present invention-was conceived and developed with the aboveconditions and needs in view, and comprises, in essence, a beet thinningapparatus which is a wheel-mounted, power-driven unit having a novel andimproved arrangement of thinning tines carried upon rotatable heads andwith the thinning" mechanisms being intergeared with the driving wheelsof the unit to positively correlate the thinning action with the forwardmovement of the apparatus.

It follows that a primary object of the invention is to provide a noveland improved beet thinning apparatus which is capable of blocking andthinning a row of sugar beets, or any like row crop, to leave uniformlyspaced growing plants in the row and at the same time cast aside thethinned-out plants and to cultivate the plants left standing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel' and improved beetthinner which is quickly and easily adjusted to cut at various depthsinto the ground with relation to the ground surface and while theapparatus is moving as along a growing row of beets, to more effectivelycontact and remove plants having different stages Moreover, it

and depths of growth and to more effectively adjust the apparatus foremcient operation as the soil conditions Another object of the inventionis to provide a beet thinner having as its primary operative mechanism anovel and improved array of thinning tines carried upon a rotatablehead, with each tine being independently spring-tensioned at its headconnection to effectively cul tivate', cut and sweep in and acrosstheplant r'fow,'and also to yield and slide over'fixed objects such asrocks without disrupting the normal operationof the apparatu's.

. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedbeet thinner which is capable of carrying its operator, thinning out-twoor-more rows'of beets at a time and permitting operations to proceed ata fast rate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel andimproved beetthinner which is capable of quickly. blocking and thinning out a rowof'sugar beets to leave plants standing at a selected spacing andthereby elirnibined therewith to thin two rows of beets with each'passof the machine.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view thereof.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, isometric view of a fragment of the frame ofthe machine and of a tine-carrying head and its supporting framework,comprising a thinner head assembly, which is connected to the frame ofthe machine.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional elevational View as taken from the indicatedline 4-4 at FIG. 3 but on an enlar'ged scale.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a tine per se, as taken from theindicated arrow 5 at FIG. 4 but on an enlarged scale. v

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional detail illustrating a portionofth'e'showing at FIG. 4 but on a greatly enlarged scale. a

FIGURE 7 is a sectional plan view of the tine ends mounted upon' arotatable head, as taken fromthe indicated line 7-7 at FIG. 4,illustrating these tines as being mounted over and to move injand alongabeet plant row, illustrated as a dashed line, and illustrating further,in "broken lines, the path of movement of a single tine as the apparatusmoves along the. beet plant row and rotates at the same time and, also,one type of a crisscross pattern that may be obtained as the tines crossback and forth on the row as the apparatus moves forwardly.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and to FIGS. 1 and 2thereof, it is contemplated that my improved thinning apparatus Willinclude a power-driven tractor of any suitable type which may bemodified to hold one or more thinning'heads'and to rotate these heads inconjunction with the forward movement of the tractor. The embodiment'illustratedin the drawing is a comparatively-small, three-wheel tractoror cartlt) which carries a pair of ,thinning'heads for thinning two rowsof beets at a time. This arrangement is especially usefulfor one-manoperation on a small or moderate sized beet farm, and it is tobeunderstood that the use of a tractor unit such as cart it) isillustrative and net restrictive of the several arrangements possiblewithin the scope of the'invention. 1 r ,1:

This cart 163 is formed-as a wheehmounted; unit hav ing arectangularframe 11. This rectangular frame in-:

cludes -'a pair of spaced longitudinal side members 114,-

interconnectingtransverse end members 11b andother members for holdingthe various components as hereinings 14 which are affixed to framemembers including members 110. Gears 15' connect-this yoke to rearwardlyextended steering shaft 16 which terminates as a steer Patented Feb. 16,1955 i positions not shown.

ing wheel 17 at its rearward end near the center portion of the frame.This steering shaft 16 is held in position by a bearing 18 on the framemember 11c and a bearing 18a on a structural bridge 19 near the centerof the frame; the bridge is in the form of an inverted U with the legportions thereof unstanding from the longitudinal frame members 11a. J

The rear of this frame is carried by a pair of rear wheels 20 which areconnected to a transverse shaft 21 to extend laterally from the sides ofthe frame members 11a. The shaft, in turn, is mounted in bearingsconnected to the underside of the frame members lit: at The shaft isrotated for driving the rear wheels and the cart by mechanismshereinafter described.

This cart is proportioned to provide a drivers section, at therear-center portion including a seat 22 betweenthe drive wheels, whichis supported upon a suitable transverse frame member 11d adjacent to thewheel shaft 21. A foot-rest platform 23 is located forwardly of the seatand below the steering Wheel and frame members as upon depending struts11e. This positioning of the seat and platform rearwardly of thesteering wheel leaves a substantial clear space between the framemembers, forwardly of the steering wheel and the bridge 19, where thepair of thinning mechanisms are positioned as hereinafter described.

This cart 10 is powered by a motor 24'which' is connected to the rearend of the cart as upon the transverse frame member 11b and othermembers 11f. The output shaft 24a is connected by a pulley-belt group 25to a power distribution shaft 26 which extends transversely across theframe 11 adjacent to the motor and with shaft 26 being mounted inbearings 27 on the'longitudinal frame members 11a. Suitable controls,not shown, are extended from the motor to'a convenient positionalongside the drivers seat which control the speed of the motor. Also,in types of motors which do not have an automatic clutch associated withthe output shaft 240, a suitable friction clutch is associated with oneof the pulleys of the group 25, of any conventional type, which iseither actuated automatically by increase of speed of the motor ormanually by controls extending to a convenient position alongside thedrivers seat. Such controls are not shown, being conventional well-knownarrangements.

The power distribution shaft 26 is operatively connected to'the rotatingthinning heads, as hereinafter described, and also to the rear drivewheel shaft 21 for driving the cart in conjunction with the rotation ofthe thinner heads. This'connection to the shaft 21 is by a pulley-belt,sprocket-chain arrangement which is conveniently mounted alongside aframe member 11a. A pulley 28 is positioned at-the end of the shaft 26and is connected by a belt 29 to a large diameter speed reducerpulley-30. This pulley 30 is mounted upon a stub shaft 31, which, inturn, is carried in a bearing 32 affixed to the member 110. The stubshaft 31 also carries a sprocket 33 which is interconnected by a chain35 to a sprocket 34 on the drive wheel shaft 21 to complete the train ofdrives. a

Each thinner unit includes a disc-like head 41 having a circular arrayof tines 42, extending about the' periphery and to one side thereof in acylindrical pattern;

and an axially-centered drive shaft 43 extending from the otherside ofthe head. In use, the head 41 is held in a horizontal plane above theground with the tines depending therefrom into the ground, and with theshaft uparm, in turn, extends rearwardly from its bearing post end'tolie alongside the adjacent frame member 11a and with its rearward endbeing engaged to a transverse holding shaft 46 which is carried betweenthe longitudintal frame members in brackets 47. It is to be noted thatthe width of the cart 10 and the spacing apart of the two rocket arms 45is established by the regular spacing of beet rows, with the frame beingsufiiciently wider than the beet row spacing, so as to permit eachrocker arm 45 and the thinner head uponit to be disposed directly over abeet row when in operation, and yet clear the adjacent longitudinalframe member 11a.

Each rocker mm is pivotally carried upon the holding shaft 46, so thatthe arm may be rocked upon the shaft for vertical adjustment of thethinning head, and in order to obtain sufiicient vertical adjustablemovement of the head without excessive tipping from a normal horizontalposition the rocker arm is as long as practicable.- Thus; the bearingpost 44 end of the rocker arm is at the for-' ward section of the cart10' and the holding shaft 46 is at the rearward section of the cart andat a convenient position underneath the seat 22. It follows that therocker arms must be stabilized against lateral movements 6 especiallybecause of their length. This'is accomplished by using a reinforcedpivotal connection at the end of each rocker arm 34 and to the holdingshaft 46.

A simple and rugged pivotal connection suitable for this purpose isillustrated at FIG; 3. A tubular collar 48 is welded to the end of thearm 45 to serve as the pivotal connector to the shaft 46. An inclinedbracket 49 is Weldedto the side of the arm 45 and the end of thisbracket carries a second collar 48a, welded thereto, which also servesas a pivotal connector for the shaft 46. 7 These collars 48 and 48a arerestrained from lateral movement along the shaft 46 by adjustablelock-collars 50 and 50:: at each side of the pivotal connection formedby collars 48 and 48a.-

Each rocker arm 45 extends underneath the bridge frame 19 alongside aframe member 11b, and the bridge 19 is ideally suited to hold asupporting and adjusting means for positioning the rocker arms. Such apreferred means includes, at each side of the bridge, a hand lever'51pivotally mounted upon an arcuate rack 52 and with a lock detent 53 forengaging the rack.- A lever crank 54 is interconnected with the handlever 51 with its outstanding end pivotally engaging a link 55. Thislink extends downwardly to the rocker arm 45 for pivotal engagement witha stub 56 outstanding from the side of the arm. With each hand lever 51'being'conveniently positioned ahead of the drivers section and alongsidethe steering wheel 17 it follows that the operator can easily reach thehand levers and make the necessary vertical adjustments of the thinnerhead assemblies to ary the depth at which the tines 42 cut into theearth during the thinning operations. 7

Each thinner head unit 40 is adapted to rotate with forward movementofthe cart 10 and is operatively interconnected with the powerdistribution shaft 26 to rotate in conjunction with the forward movementof the cart. The shaft 43 upstanding from each head extends through itssupporting bearing post 44 to carry a pulley 57 at the top of the post.This pulley is connected as by a rearwardly extending belt 58 to a drivepulley 59 standing therefrom for connection with the supporting membersof the thinner unit. Accordingly, the thinner unit 40 is expedientlydescribed with reference to its said positioning when the head is heldin its proper. operative position.

The'shaft 43, of the thinner head, is carried and held in a verticalbearing post;44 which is afiixed to the end of .a longitudinallydisposed rocker arm 45. The rocker on the power distribution shaft 26; adrive pulley 59 is mounted at each side of the power distribution shaft26 substantially in alignment with the longitudinal, rear- '5 v to thebase as by welding, as at 64. An array of vertical holes 65 is drilledin the flange 62 at the edge of the wall 61, each designed toreceive'and hold the upper end of a tine. A tapped, radially-disposedhole 66 extends from the flange 62 periphery and to each hole 65 toreceive aset screw 67, which is adapted to bear against the upper end ofa tine 41 which is placed in the vertical hole 65, as in the mannerclearly illustrated at FIG. 6. i

In the embodiment illustrated, I provide an even number of tine-holdingholes 65 in the head 41, for the alternate positioning of differenttypes of'tines in the holes, and a preferred number of tines to becarried by the head is ten, as illustrated. Two types of tines 42 areused, with one type 42a differing from the other by the inclusion of asharpened projecting foot 63 at its base. The tines are otherwiseidenticallyformed. Only tines 42a are cutter or thinner tines, whiletines 42 simply weed and cultivate but do not out out the plants as theycross a row, as will be explained.

Each tine consists of heavy gauge spring or pianolike wire ofsubstantial strength and resilience and is formed to include a majorstraight portion 69, a pair of convolutions or tight spring loops '70 atits upper end of the straight portion and a connective stub 71upstanding from the loops 79. This stub '71 is adapted to be extendedinto a vertical hole 65 in the head ll for attachment thereto, as withthe set screw 67 heretofore described. When so positioned on the headthe spring loops '70 lie in the rabbeted shoulder of the thinner head 41with the top edge of the loops abutting against the under surface of theflange 62 thereof and the face of the loops abutting against the outerface of the wall 61 thereof, as illustrated at FIG. 6,

The advantages of this construction become apparent when operation ofthe unit is considered. I usually run the machine along the rows aboutfive miles an hour. Various twisting, pulling and racking forces areexerted on the tines during operation as the heads rotate and the tinessweep and are moved forwardly in the ground at the same time. Thistwisting action is especially severe onthe tines having the projectingcutting feet 68. Also the tines often strike rocks and hard earth crustsand they must be deflected past such obstructions without beingpermanently distorted or without unduly shaking the machine. Permanentdistortion of the tines is prevented since the primary deflection of thetines will occur at the spring loops 70 without the danger of exceedingthe elastic limits of the spring material of the tines. My springtensioned tines 42 and 42a vibrate and stay clean when used in wetground, whereas a rigid tine member will not stay clean during use inwet soil. Also, the mounting of the spring lOOPSJ'il under the flangeand in the rabbeted shoulder of head 41, as described, prevents thevibrating and twisting actions from shifting or displacing the tine inits mounting holes 65, since no set screw can restrain a tine againstthe con tinuous twisting and deflecting movements which is encounteredin operation of the unit. With the machine constructed substantially inproportion as illustra ed, upon machine forward movement my cutter heads41 rotate about one turn to every foot'of forward movement of themachine.

illustrated, will be directly above and move along a path Gperation ofthe thinning unit combines the forward movement of the cart 19 withrotation of the thinning heads, the heads being intergeared to the drivewheels of the cart as hereinbefore explained. It is immediately aparentthat any selected ratio of driving, to establish of beets to be thinnedis represented as 'a continuous straight line 80, and it is understoodthat the center axis of a thinning head 40, holding the-tines 42 and 42aas also represented by the line 80. The path of movement of a singlethinner tine 42a with its foot :68 is represented by thecycloidal'broken-line curve '81 and it is to be noted that thiscurvecrosses the straight line'fill in back and forth movements, and alsothat the cutter foot 68, of each thinner tine 42a, crosses the line atopposite sides of the path as indicated by shaded areas 82. When theaction of all ten tines is combined, their movements will constitute acomplex sweeping, cutting and cultivatingaction along the beet path. Itis to be remembered, as explained, that tines 42a are the onlycuttertines and the tines 42 act only as cultivator times It is to benoted that this combined action may be varied by changing theforward-movernent-rotation relationship of the cutter head 40 and thatthe pattern illustrated at FIG. 7 is merely representative or" thecombined action, of the tines.

The various tines will move back and forth in the ground across the lineof the beet row, as along paths of the indi- I cated arrows with doubleshaded areas 82 representing the pathsofthe cutting feet 68. It is to benoted that there are sin le shaded portions along the :line or path 36between cut areas 82 and where the non-cutter tines 42 pass across therow in the ground, and where the beets would be permitted to remain inplace as cultivator tine rods 42 do not cut out the growing plantsbetween areas82.

As hereinbefore noted, the unit described uses two cutter headassemblies 40, however, wider machines may use as many as desired. Eachthinner unit, however, is

individually elevationally carried on the apparatus to facilitateindividual adjustments during operation. During operation I usually havethe lower ends of the tines from about one-half inch to one andone-quarter inches deep in the ground, with the ground surface indicatedas of FIGURE 4. For example, when an operator sees a group of largeplants ahead of the thinner cart, as it is moving along the rows, hewill move the proper hand lever 51 to lower the ends of the tines intothe ground a little deeper to more efiectively cut out the largerplants. Likewise, he will raise the tines slightly as he encounterssmaller plants.

Having thus described and explained the operation of one preferredembodiment of my invention in considerable detail, I wish and it is tobe understood that my protection is to be limited only by the properscope of the hereunto appended claims.

Whatl claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

"1. Apparatus for thinning and blocking a row of seeded plantscomprising:

(a) a power driven frame having a power distribution shaft journalledthereto, and a drive wheel operatively connected to said powerdistribution shaft;

(11) a rotatable thinner head supported on said frame independing'relation thereto, said thinner head comprising a verticallydisposed driving axle, a tine sup porting member secured to said axle atthe lower end thereof, said driving axle being operatively connected tosaid power distribution shaft, said tine sup porting member comprising adisc means, said disc means having a rabbeted' shoulder wall disposedabout the periphery thereof, a circular array of apertures located aboutsaid wall; l V V (c) a plurality of resilient spring like tines, each ofsaid tines having an upper end passing through a respective one of saidapertures and a spring loop adjacent the upper end thereof adapted to'belodged .insaid rabbeted shoulder wall to resist twisting forces thereon,at least one of. said tines being provided with an outstanding cutterblade at the lower end thereof; said tines being adapted to selectivelycontact the ground a given distance below the surface I thereof; and

(d) said frame being driven by said power distribution shaft inoverlying disposition to said seeded plants, and said thinner head beingsimultaneously rotated a given'number of revolutions with respect toeach revolution of said drive Wheel whereby said tines travel throughaplurality of cyclic pattern traversing said row of plants atpredetermined points therealong.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further including means forselectively adjusting the vertical placement of said thinner head andthereby change said given distance.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein alternate tines about saidtine supporting member are provided with said cutter blades. 7

4. A thinner head for use with a thinning apparatus to be moved along aplant row, said thinner head adapted 5. The thinning head defined inclaim 4 wherein at least one of said tines is provided with anoutstanding cutter blade at the bottom end thereof.

6. The thinning head defined in claim 5 wherein alternate ones of saidtines are provided with outstanding cutter blades at the bottom endsthereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS274,311 Gillett Mar. 20, 1883 1,115,537 Hitzemann Nov. 3, 1914 1,506,042Bauer Aug. 24, 1924 2,103,306 Urschel Dec. 28, 1937 2,610,559 Peel Sept.16, 1952 2,748,679 Rogers June 5, 1956 3,010,526 Van der Lely et al Nov.28, 1961 3,059,704 Kasatkin Oct. 23, 1962 3,082,829 Buddingh et al Mar.26, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 152,364 Australia July 16, 1953 967,149 FranceMar. 22, 1950

1. APPARATUS FOR THINNING AND BLOCKING A ROW OF SEEDED PLANTSCOMPRISING: (A) A POWER DRIVEN FRAME HAVING A POWER DISTRIBUTION SHAFTJOURNALLED THERETO, AND A DRIVE WHEEL OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAIDPOWER DISTRIBUTION SHAFT; (B) A ROTATABLE THINNER HEAD SUPPORTED ON SAIDFRAME IN DEPENDING RELATION THERETO, SAID THINNER HEAD COMPRISING AVERTICALLY DISPOSED DRIVING AXLE, A TINE SUPPORTING MEMBER SECURED TOSAID AXLE AT THE LOWER END THEREOF, SAID DRIVING AXLE BEING OPERATIVELYCONNECTED TO SAID POWER DISTRIBUTION SHAFT, SAID TINE SUPPORTING MEMBERCOMPRISING A DISC MEANS, SAID DISC MEANS HAVING A RABBETED SHOULDER WALLDISPOSED ABOUT THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, A CIRCULAR ARRAY OF APERTURESLOCATED ABOUT SAID WALL;